As with any procedure, especially one involving your eyes and eyesight, it’s important to feel extremely comfortable with the decision you ultimately make to go ahead with surgery or choose something else. Although my eyesight isn’t that bad, I do occasionally have to wear glasses or contact lenses, so my interest in LASIK has been ongoing for a while. The research in this article may not give you all the answers you seek in making your LASIK decision, however, you will at least be able to meet with an eye care professional, prepared with a basic understanding of the procedure, in order to make the right decision for you. Plus: Are you smart when it comes to skin caner?

VisionHere are some brief and simple explanations of vision function and disorders that may or may not be corrected by LASIK eye surgery:

- In normal vision, the eye is like a camera in that light passes through a lens system (the cornea and front lens) to the back of the eye’s “film” (the retina) where it is focused into a clear picture.

- Nearsightedness (Myopia) occurs when light rays pass through the eye’s lens system but, instead of hitting the retina to focus at the back of the eye, it stops right in front of the retina to focus images that are near, but not far away. Glasses and contact lenses are traditionally used for correcting vision problems, although some individuals may be good candidate for specific procedures.

- Farsightedness (Hyperopia) is a condition where light rays don’t focus by the time they reach the retina, causing the patient to be able to focus on far images but not ones that are close. Once again, individuals may not be good candidates for treatments other than glasses or contact lenses. However some may benefit from surgeries such as clear lens extraction, CK, LASIK and others.

- Astigmatism occurs when the light rays entering the eye form a line on the retina instead of converging into a single point. While there are variations of astigmatism and it is best to discuss this with your eye care professional, excimer lasers such as the ones used in LASIK procedures have been reported to correct this vision problem better than traditional glasses or contact lenses.

- Presbyopia is a condition within the eye’s crystalline lens that affects people as they enter into their 40s. It’s an age-related eye disorder and can only be corrected with reading glasses or bifocals.

The LASIK Procedure As the most commonly performed “refractive” surgery, LASIK procedures are preferred for vision correction due to the relative lack of pain as well as the immediate results. When going in for a LASIK procedure, you most likely will encounter the following:

- Upon your selection of a LASIK surgeon and determination of your appropriate candidacy for the procedure, your prescription will be determined by the use of a refractor; a slit lamp will be used to determine retinal normalcy; a tonometer will check your eye pressure to read early signs of glaucoma. You doctor will also look for other eye abnormalities such as “dry eye” disease to clear anything up before your procedure.

- Then, a corneal topographer is generally used to create a “map” of your cornea since irregularities will need to be corrected by the surgeon for the most successful outcome.

- After your eye health is determined, your general health will be reviewed.

- When you are being prepared for the surgery, some doctors may give you a mild oral sedative before having you lie down. You will then have your first eye positioned under the laser.

- A retainer is then placed over your eye to keep your lids open. It operates using a suction “ring” that keeps your eye pressurized and generally provides no discomfort.

- The surgeon will then use an ink marker to mark where a flap will be cut in your cornea for the procedure.

- A computer is used to specify your prescription to the laser, and a clicking sound will commence as your cornea is re-shaped to accommodate your particular eye issue.

- One eye is operated on at a time and, after a short rest period; your other eye will be done. It is not uncommon for patients to get one eye done and the other one a week later.

- Some doctors will give you something for any residual pain, which is highly uncommon with LASIK procedures, and will give you specific after-care instructions that you must follow for the best results. Immediately after your surgery, you will be unable to drive, so having someone to take you home is of paramount importance.

Possible RisksWhile the potential risks and complications of LASIK eye surgery have been addressed and procedures improved over the last few years, there are still concerns that you will want to talk to your doctor about as part of your decision-making process. Corneal damage, scarring or swelling, some vision loss, droopy eyelid, contact lens intolerance and persistent discomfort are among patient complaints, but overall LASIK eye surgery appears to be successful in most cases.

One last word of caution – be sure to get a couple of LASIK surgeon’s recommendations to be sure you are getting a consensus on the right type of procedure for you. While some LASIK-corrective surgeries work well and yield wonderful results, others are inoperative.

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